STUDENT EDUCATION FEATURE least early in her placement , of being a little less visible as a student working remotely .
‘ We had to focus our organisational skills in order to plan for Katie to join assessments , which also accommodate the carer or family member who is able to facilitate the video . They are clearly central to the successful outcome of an assessment .’
But there were benefits to remote working . Hayley says : ‘ Consent has never been an issue , we realise how flexible service users and their care givers are willing to be to embrace this new process and the technology , which we are all dependent upon .
‘ Having family members and carers fully on board to operate the media format has meant that they are at the core of the assessment process .’
She adds : ‘ Since March this year , the occupational therapy workplace has changed drastically and the process by which occupational therapists carry out their role has changed acutely .
‘ The student is actively joining the occupational therapist on their daily journey in real time , albeit without a physical presence .
‘ The remote placement offers a realistic experience , and Katie has been able to value client contact , have the ability to build relationships , and obtain real feedback from service users . This makes a difference to a student ’ s learning and it is so much easier to apply decision-making skills when working with a real person with real needs and outcomes .’
Hayley is an advocate for remote placements , which , she says , ‘ can indeed provide an adequate learning experience ’, while ‘ virtual telehealthcare placements , on the other hand , may not suit students who have a pragmatic learning style ’.
The remote placement also helped remove some of the financial burden for Katie . ‘ Costs were minimal , with no need to pay for travel , parking or buying lunches , which would be the case with a face-to-face placement . Katie says .
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‘ A laptop and a phone were all Katie required ,’ adds Hayley , ‘ and both were provided by the service , on loan to Katie throughout her placement .’
In conclusion , from both Katie ’ s and Hayley ’ s first-hand experience , they found that a remote placement does offer the learning opportunities a student needs .
They note that the goal of a placement ‘ is to obtain practical experience to supplement academic learning ’. From their experience , they both agree that placement competencies ‘ can equally be met using available video media tools ’.
‘ Part of the student experience is to build confidence during the placement setting , which is absolutely possible through a remote placement ,’ says Hayley . ‘[ We both ] anticipate that it would be less likely to achieve the same level of confidence through a virtual telehealthcare placement .
‘ On reflection , the experience for both educator and student was positive , having had initial reservations about how the placement would work in practice .
‘ We would like to encourage other practice educators and students considering this option to take up the opportunity , and adapt with the changing world of service delivery and learning . We are positive you will find that with flexibility and resilience , great outcomes can be achieved .’
Hayley Winship , practice educator , Rutland County Council , and Katie Digby , occupational therapy student , University of Northampton
OTnews December 2020 45